lineage

1 of 2

noun (1)

lin·​e·​age ˈli-nē-ij 

also ˈli-nij

1

a

: descent in a line from a common progenitor

b

: derivation

… the brand's lineage as a leather goods company.

—Colleen Barry

2

: a group of individuals tracing descent from a common ancestor

especially : such a group of persons whose common ancestor is regarded as its founder

lineage

2 of 2

noun (2)

line·​age

less common spelling of linage

: the number of lines of printed or written matter

Synonyms of lineage

Noun (1)

• ancestry
• pedigree
• origin
• genealogy
• breeding

Examples of lineage in a Sentence

Noun (1)

his Italian lineage was very important to him

it is now generally accepted that the lineage of Thomas Jefferson includes black as well as white members

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Article 4 of the PRC constitution guarantees equality for all its 56 ethnic groups, though in reality the national vision hews to a Han Chinese orthodoxy, which avers a direct lineage from the early Yellow River basin tribes. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026

The look has been updated with taste and restraint, so there’s no mistaking the 33/303’s lineage—even the dimensions are within 1 mm of the originals. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 8 July 2026

The trust layer resolves fitness through quality certification, lineage traceability, freshness signals and provenance. — Jay Limburn, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

For all the talk of lineage, Be Sweet to Me is fundamentally about carving out space not in opposition to her family name, but outside of it. — Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

lineage

noun

lin·​eage

ˈlin-ē-ij

1

: the ancestors from whom a person is descended

2

: the people descended from the same ancestor

Medical Definition

lineage

noun

lin·​e·​age

ˈlin-ē-ij also ˈlin-ij

1

: descent in a line from a common progenitor

2

: a group of individuals descended from a common ancestor

replication in T cell lineages